Long-term stability of remission in nephrotic syndrome after treatment with cyclophosphamide.

Fifty-eight children with minimal-change nephrotic lesions who relapsed repeatedly and showed toxic side effects from corticosteroids were treated with cyclophosphamide for an average of 12 weeks. The initial dose was 5 mg/kg/day. Four to seven years (mean 5.8 years) later 20 remained in remission, 34 were still relapsing, and 4 had died (two during relapses, one of measles after cyclophosphamide, and one of a brain-stem astrocytoma). The half time for the relapse-free period after treatment was 2.8 years. There was no relationship between the length of treatment with cyclophosphamide and the stability of remission within the limits studied.